Stanley Abernathy - It Ain't
Easy Bein' Me is a reflection of the times, traveling, and personal
beliefs, each of which has shaped the music and the person behind Stanley
Abernathy. The release is a little bit of blues, a little bit of jazz, and a
whole lot of Stanley's
horns.

It Ain't Easy Bein'
Me, released on the Endys Alyad Music label, is the
second solo release by the well-traveled songwriter and musician Stanley
Abernathy. Stanley is well-know as the lead trumpet for the legendary B. B.
King and as such, he has seen the world so many times he has lost track, and
his vast travels and influences has shaped the release It Ain't Easy Bein' Me. To read a review of Stanley's first release, see the Music Scene section
for Stanley
Abernathy - Only When I Think of You.

Always putting the other person first, Stanley truly believes
that it is better to give than to receive, and he gave his all while pouring
his soul into the songs on It Ain't Easy
Bein' Me. Stanley's father taught him to respect and always look to obtain
a balance in life, and Stanley achieved his balance producing It Ain't Easy Bein' Me. The release
opens with the track Pictures, an
easy listening jazz track that set the musical symmetry for the entire release.

The track Hordias
Podock pushes the tempo and opens up the lines of music between the guitar
work of Carl Stuart and the keyboards and percussion programming of John
Saunders; an infectious track that rings with a silky sound. The track Love You More carries blues overtones
from Stanley's
flugelhorn and it brings an emotional element to the audience.

One I'm Sorry Too Many
is a soft melodic track that rides on the superb horns (trumpet and flugelhorn)
complemented by a programmed rhythmic bass beat holding the line; easy
listening but with a kick. The track Istanbul is a
short mystical arrangement. And Then
There's You is a song that will grab you from the first set of flugelhorn notes,
there is a magical balance rendered from this dramatic arrangement.

The title track It
Ain't Easy Bein' Me builds from the opening horn section and layers in the
vocals of Tamala Vaughan with a metrical baseline formed from the keyboards and
programming; just like Stanley, a bit complex, a bit mystical, but always with
a sense of stability. The release closes with the track I Belong To You, a straight ahead easy listening "love" song that
in Stanley's
hands, and through his lips, is heartrending.